When Sarah and Freya from Crafty Sew and Sew approached me about reviewing one of their new patterns I was over the moon. Sarah and Freya crowd funded through Kickstarter for their brand new pattern company My Handmade Wardrobe late last year. Sarah and Freya wanted to create patterns that were practical, well fitting, modern and stylish. These patterns are aimed at novice sewers so they are great if you are like me and still very much new to sewing or a more advanced seamstress and want a relaxing easy sew.
They asked me to review their shift dress/top pattern. You can make this into a shift top where the hem covers your bum, or into a knee length shift dress. You also have the option of adding some frills to the armhole, and the option to add 3/4 length sleeves (yes, all these options are included in the pattern!) This pattern is perfect for new seamstresses because it can be sewn in cotton, or if you are feeling a bit adventurous then why not sew one up in rayon, crepe or even some silk! This dress is perfect for transitioning from day to night.
I decided on the sleeveless shift dress because I prefer wearing dresses, and I thought if I make it sleeveless then I could add layers underneath it or wear a nice cardigan over it. The pattern was really quick to cut out (yes, I don't trace!). I managed to squeeze it onto just over 2m of narrow width fabric. I cut out a size 10 after reading the finished garment measurements and it ended up being loose fitting which makes it perfect for layering! I decided to use a Cotton and Steel rayon/cotton lawn blend fabric as I wanted it to be lightweight and loose fitting.
The overall construction was pretty easy, I got a little stuck at the dart section, but the ladies over at My Handmade Wardrobe have updated that section. The darts are fairly small and high up, making it fit closely to the bust and thus extremely flattering. The instructions for sewing it together and adding the facings were really clear. It does also talk you through adding a button-loop to the back, but I decided to add a hook and eye to mine. Once you become confident with this pattern there are lots of ways to add your unique style to it, how about adding some pockets or some embroidery?
I managed to finish my dress for the MHW pattern launch in Leicester and my lovely sewing friends snapped some pictures of me in it.
Why not check out the hashtag #mhwshiftdress for some shift dress inspiration.
You can purchase the pattern over on their online store.
From Left to Right: Sarah from @likesewamazing wearing her MHW Everyday Amazing Shift dress, Georgina from @sewinthegarden in her MHW Cosy Dress, Rudy from @roodlesrunique in her MHW Cosy Dress & me in my MHW Shift Dress which has been styled with a monstera brooch from @pinkcoatclub.
Thanks for your lovely review and a lovely make! This leaf print rayon is fab!
Love this dress so much! I think the shape really suits you and thank you so much for including my brooch! x
Gorgeous dress. I can’t wait to make more of the cosy dress.